Gender Differences in Learning Constructs,Shifts in Learning Constructs,and Their Relationship to Course Achievement in a Structured Inquiry,Yearlong College Physics Course for Life Science Majors

This study investigated differences and shifts in learning and motivation constructs among male and female students in a nonmajors, yearlong structured inquiry college physics course and examined how these variables were related to physics understanding and course achievement. Tests and questionnaires measured students' learning approaches, motivational goals, self‐efficacy, epistemological beliefs, scientific reasoning abilities, and understanding of central physics concepts at the beginning and end of the course. Course achievement scores were also obtained. The findings showed that male students had significantly higher self‐efficacy, performance goals, and physics understanding compared to females, which persisted throughout the course. Differential shifts were found in students' meaningful learning approaches, with females tending to use less meaningful learning from beginning to end of the course; and males using more meaningful learning over this time period. For both males and females, self‐efficacy significantly predicted physics understanding and course achievement. For females, higher reasoning ability was also a significant predictor of understanding and achievement; whereas for males, learning goals and rote learning were significant predictors, but in a negative direction. The findings reveal that different variables of learning and motivation may be important for females' success in inquiry physics compared to males. Instructors should be cognizant of those needs in order to best help all students learn and achieve in college physics.     

Perceptions of Mathematics and Gender

This study examined students’ perceptions about gender and the subject of mathematics, as well as gender and mathematics learning. Secondary school students and pre‐service elementary teachers were surveyed using the Mathematics as a Gendered Domain and Who and Mathematics instruments developed by Leder and Forgasz ( Leder, 2001 ). The data indicate that, similar to findings from the 1970s, students believe that mathematics is gender neutral, although females hold this belief more strongly than males. Female secondary school students hold beliefs in gender neutrality more strongly than female pre‐service teachers. Data for secondary school students indicate that both males and females see differences in the way boys and girls act and are treated in mathematics classes (e.g., boys cause more distractions while girls care more about doing well). The data also show that secondary school males who believe they are good mathematics students tend to have more gender‐neutral perceptions than those who believe they are average or below average. No such pattern appears for secondary school females.     

Community‐Based Service‐Learning as a Source of Personal Self‐Efficacy: Preparing Preservice Elementary Teachers to Teach Science for Diversity

Bandura (1997) contends that when compared to other sources of efficacy, mastery experiences, when presented appropriately, have the most powerful influence on self‐efficacy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of community‐based service learning (CBSL) experiences on preservice elementary teachers' personal self‐efficacy beliefs about equitable science teaching and learning. Data were collected using pretests‐posttests and post‐questionnaires with the study sample. Findings from this study support Bandura's assertion. CBSL experiences were an important source of personal self‐efficacy and significantly influenced preservice elementary teachers' personal self‐efficacy beliefs about equitable science teaching and learning.     

Gender‐Related Beliefs and Mathematics Performance of Preservice Primary Teachers

The aim of this study was to examine whether there are gender differences in mathematics achievement and in beliefs about mathematics of preservice teachers over a period of four years. Data were collected from preservice teachers (156 males and 155 females) from the Ad?yaman University Faculty of Education in Turkey. The Mathematics as a Gendered Domain instrument was used to investigate preservice teachers' beliefs about the gender differences in mathematics. The results indicated that gender had no effect on mathematics performances of the preservice primary teachers. Findings of this research show that most of the male and female preservice primary teachers do not gender‐stereotype mathematics and believe that mathematics is gender neutral, although there are gender differences on some types of items of instrument.     

Examining Elementary Teachers’ Engineering Self‐Efficacy and Engineering Teacher Efficacy

Research indicates that teacher efficacy influences student achievement and is situation specific. With the Next Generation Science Standards calling for the incorporation of engineering practices into K–12 classrooms, it is important to identify teachers’ engineering teaching efficacy. A study of K–5 teachers’ engineering self‐efficacy and engineering teaching efficacy revealed that that they have low engineering self‐efficacy and low teacher efficacy related to engineering pedagogical content knowledge. Additionally, significant differences existed in self‐efficacy levels based on gender, ethnicity, Title I school status, and grade level taught.     

The Role of Interactions Between Student and Classroom Context in Developing Adaptive Self‐Efficacy in One Sixth‐Grade Mathematics Classroom

Research and theory suggest several instructional practices that could enhance student self‐efficacy. However, little is known about the ways these instructional practices interact with individual students to create opportunities or challenges for developing adaptive self‐efficacy. In this study, we focused on two sources of efficacy, mastery experiences, and social persuasion, and examined how these sources were structured for three students with different levels of mathematics achievement and self‐efficacy within a sixth‐grade mathematics classroom. Analyses within each case showed that each student experienced success and received social persuasion differently. On the other hand, analyses across the cases suggest that not only the amount but also the form (i.e., with and without assistance) of successful experiences and the type of performances (e.g., stating definitions, explaining solution procedures, sharing problem‐solving strategies, and making comments on others' ideas) through which the student experienced mastery may have played important role in developing self‐efficacy. Consistently, the amount and form of teacher feedback was different for each focal student. Examining these differences provide insight into each student's self‐efficacy assessed over the course of the study as well as the kind of support each student needed to develop adaptive self‐efficacy.     

Gender Differences in Science Achievement: Differential Effect of Ability,Response Format,and Strands of Learning Outcomes

The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of gender differences in science achievement of fifth graders, taking into account the role of ethnicity, ability, response format, and strands of learning outcomes. The results indicated that the gender differences in science achievement did not depend on ethnicity. However, response format, ability, and strands of learning outcomes had differential effects on student performance. In particular, at the high ability level boys did better than girls on the open-ended format in physical sciences, but there were no gender differences in nature of science, earth and space sciences, and life sciences. There were no gender differences in science achievement for the low and medium ability students. Regardless of gender, the largest achievement gaps between the low, medium, and high ability students were on the open-ended format in physical sciences.     

Gender Equity in Mathematics: Beliefs of Students,Parents, and Teachers

The attitudes about mathematics held by girls and boys participating in a regional mathematics contest, their parents, teachers, and mathematics coaches were investigated. Quantitative data regarding mathematics as a male domain, perception of importance of mathematics, confidence in learning mathematics, effectance motivation, and usefulness of mathematics were obtained. It was found that the traditional gender‐based differences in the beliefs regarding mathematics persist even in these mathematically talented students. Furthermore, parents' responses to the questions regarding the role of mathematics revealed that mothers, more than fathers, focused on the computational aspects of mathematics, while fathers more than mothers mentioned the role of mathematics in science or as a language. Boys, fathers, and certain mathematics teachers admitted to a low level of gender stereotyping, as evidenced by their scores on the Mathematics as a Male Domain subscale. However, the girls, mothers, and mathematics coaches did not endorse this stereotyping. Unsolicited responses of girls and mothers, in fact, emphatically denied that gender stereotyping exists. These findings are discussed in terms of the need to resolve the essential conflicts between students', parents', and teachers' deeply held beliefs regarding the nature of mathematics, gender differences in mathematical abilities, and the desire for equity within mathematics education.     

Science Self‐Efficacy and School Transitions: Elementary School to Middle School,Middle School to High School

This study examined the science self‐efficacy beliefs of students at the transition from elementary school (Grade 6) to middle school (Grade 7) and the transition from middle school (Grade 8) to high school (Grade 9). The purpose was to determine whether students' perceived competence is impacted at these important school transitions and if the effect is mediated by gender and ethnicity. Science self‐efficacy was measured through a modified Self‐Efficacy Questionnaire for Children, which was adapted to focus specifically on science self‐efficacy. Multiple ordinary least squares regression was used to analyze the data. Two models were developed, one using ninth grade as the comparison group and the other using sixth grade as the comparison group. In each model, the independent variables (grade level, gender, and ethnicity) were regressed on the dependent variable, science self‐efficacy. The most striking finding was the large and significant decline in science self‐efficacy scores for ninth graders at the transition to high school. We also found that females and Hispanic students had lower scores across grades as compared to males and Caucasians. How these results relate to existing studies, and implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Non‐Traditional Preservice Teachers and Their Mathematics Efficacy Beliefs

In Florida, recent legislative changes have granted community colleges the ability to offer baccalaureate degrees in education, frequently to non‐traditional students. Based on information obtained from the literature covering preservice teachers' math knowledge, teachers' efficacy beliefs about math, and high‐stakes mathematics testing, a study examined a population of preservice teachers in a new Florida teacher preparation program. The research investigated relationships surrounding non‐traditional preservice teachers' characteristics such as: ages, high‐stakes math failures, lower division mathematics history, and math methods course performance, in relation to their efficacy beliefs about mathematics. Results revealed that preservice teachers' ages, lower division mathematics history, and math methods course performance, did have a significant relationship with their math efficacy beliefs, as measured by the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI); the variable of high‐stakes math failures did not. Additionally, a multiple regression model including the aforementioned variables did predict preservice teachers' MTEBI scores, but did not generalize to the greater population. The findings from this study can assist new teacher preparation programs in isolating variables that identify preservice teachers who are at risk for poor mathematical attitudes; can posit avenues for fostering positive math beliefs in preservice teachers; and can recommend further research in this area.     

Students' Perceptions of Single‐Gender Science and Mathematics Classroom Experiences

While participating in single‐ and mixed‐gender science and mathematics classes, ninth‐grade urban high school students' (n= 118) academic self‐concept, self‐efficacy, and school climate perceptions were examined. Their perceptions were measured quantitatively from the Fennema‐Sherman Mathematics (modified for Science) Attitude and the Patterns of Adaptive Learning scales. Five factors arose from each instrument: confidence/efficacy, utility, instruction, climate, and anxiety/performance avoidance. Comparative factor analysis of the science‐modified Fennema‐Sherman Scale showed similar constructs within the mathematics scale. Our findings are congruent with reports concerning single‐gender classrooms that find few significant differences in students' attitudes toward science and mathematics, or classroom climate, with regard to single‐gender classes. Lastly, our results supported three structural equation models for the hypothesized factors from each instrument.     

The Relationship Between Lesson Study and Self‐Efficacy

This article addresses a gap in the literature by developing a theory that bridges lesson study and self‐efficacy. Since self‐efficacy has been linked to student achievement, the theory is important as an explanatory mechanism linking lesson study to student achievement. The theory was developed using grounded theory based on primary source data primarily from planning and debriefing meetings. The theory demonstrates that lesson study is linked to self efficacy through a content continuum which implies that issues from pedagogical content knowledge to deeper conceptual matters can be addressed. It also implies that constraints arising in lesson study are most frequently limitations of pedagogical content knowledge which can be mitigated by a community of practice that provides appropriate resources and subject expertise.     

Content Knowledge,Attitudes, and Self‐Efficacy in the Mathematics New York City Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) Program

The purpose of this study was to understand the mathematical content knowledge new teachers have both before and after taking a mathematics methods course in the NYCTF program. Further, the purpose was to understand the attitudes toward mathematics and concepts of self‐efficacy that Teaching Fellows had over the course of the semester. The sample included 42 new Teaching Fellows who were given a mathematics content test, attitudes toward mathematics questionnaire, and teaching self‐efficacy questionnaire at the beginning and end of the semester. Further, the teachers kept teaching and learning journals. Findings revealed a significant increase in both mathematical content knowledge and positive attitudes toward mathematics. Additionally, Teaching Fellows were found to have positive attitudes and high self‐efficacy at the end of the semester, and relationships were found between attitudes and self‐efficacy. Finally, Teaching Fellows generally found that classroom management was the biggest issue in their teaching, and that problem solving and numeracy were the most important topics addressed in their learning. Future studies should address self‐efficacy differences between preservice and in‐service teachers and the effects of alternative certification teacher knowledge, attitudes toward mathematics, and self‐efficacy on students in the classroom.     

Gender Differences Regarding Mathematics Achievement: The Case of Turkish Middle School Students

The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences in mathematics achievement as demonstrated by performance on the mathematics subsection of a nationwide high school entrance examination in Turkey. In this study, the cities in Turkey were separated into five groups according to their level of economic development. The analysis was based on 2647 students that were randomly selected from these five different groups of cities. Although results indicated a statistically significant difference in mathematics achievement in favor of cities with the highest economic status, the effect size was quite small, which indicates the difference was not practically significant. Results also showed the effect sizes for gender differences in mathematics achievement were very small in all groups of cities. It was concluded that socio‐economic development of the regions was not a critical factor for gender differences in mathematics achievement.     

Turkish Preservice Primary School Teachers' Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Science: The Effect of a Primary Teacher Education Program

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a primary teacher education program in improving science teaching efficacy beliefs (personal science teaching efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancy beliefs) of preservice primary school teachers. The study also investigated whether the program has an effect on student teachers' attitudes toward science. Data were collected by administering the “Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument” and “Attitudes toward Science Scale” to 282 preservice primary teachers (147 freshmen, 135 seniors). Statistical techniques such as means and t‐test were used to analyze the data. Results of the study showed that the primary teacher education program has a medium positive effect on science teaching efficacy beliefs of the primary preservice teachers (t = 4.791, p = .000) and that there were no gender differences in terms of efficacy beliefs. Results also indicated that preservice primary teachers' attitudes toward science were moderately positive and differ by class level. Fourth‐year preservice teachers' attitudes toward science were found to be significantly more positive than the first years (t = 5.494, p = .000). There were no gender differences in attitudes toward science.     

Gender Gap Trends on Mathematics Exams Position Girls and Young Women for STEM Careers

Nine years of results on 4.2 million of Indiana's Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) mathematics (math) exams (grades 3–10) taken after the implementation of No Child Left Behind have been used to determine gender gaps and their associated trends. Sociocultural factors were investigated by comparing math gender gaps and gap trends for (a) state public schools, (b) state nonpublic schools, (c) a low‐performing metropolitan school, and (d) a high‐performing suburban school. To control for changing sociocultural factors, multiregression analyses were conducted to predict grade‐level (3–10) gender gaps and math scale scores using socioeconomic and ethnicity variables. The underrepresentation of females in earning advanced STEM degrees was investigated by determining the gender of the highest performer on the ISTEP math exams in grades 3–10 for each of state's 292 school corporations. Boys' percentages were higher across all grades by about a 2:1 ratio, similar to high‐end results on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) math exams. Simulations of distributions for d = .27 and variance ratio = 1.13 fitted 2013 college‐bound SAT math empirical data. Results of the analyses of the state's ISTEP math exam data and the 2013 SAT math scores of college‐bound seniors support the arguments that girls and young women possess the abilities to pursue STEM careers that require advanced mathematical skills.     

The Effect of a Horseshoe Crab Citizen Science Program on Middle School Student Science Performance and STEM Career Motivation

The purpose of the present quasi‐experimental study was to examine the impact of a horseshoe crab citizen science program on student achievement and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career motivation with 86 (n = 86) eighth‐grade students. The treatment group conducted fieldwork with naturalists and collected data for a professional biologist studying horseshoe crab speciation and a mock survey. The comparison group studied curriculum related to horseshoe crabs in the science classroom. A series of measures related to self‐efficacy, interest, outcome expectations, choice goals, and content knowledge were given to participants before and after the intervention. It was hypothesized that students would report higher motivational beliefs regarding science and show higher levels of achievement following the intervention than the comparison group. Support was shown for most of the hypotheses. In addition, path analyses indicated that students' motivational beliefs influence content knowledge and outcome expectations, which in turn affect their career goals. These results have implications for incorporating authentic fieldwork within a formal school structure as an effective method for promoting student achievement and STEM career motivation.     

The Effect of a Modified Moore Method on Attitudes and Beliefs in Precalculus

As part of a study on the effects of teaching with a Modified Moore Method (MMM), a survey containing 20 items from Schoenfeld's (1989 ) investigation of attitudes and beliefs about mathematics was administered to students in undergraduate precalculus classes. The study included one section of precalculus taught with an MMM, a student‐centered and inquiry‐based teaching method, and two sections taught using traditional lecture methods. The survey was administered one week into the semester, following the drop/add date, and during the last week of classes. In this paper, we discuss the findings of the attitudes and beliefs portions of the survey and correlations with scores on a common final exam. We looked for differences between the MMM and traditional sections as well as gender differences. There were only a few differences in the attitudes and beliefs among the students, although there were more changes for females than males and all the significant differences were positive. The correlation between attitudes and beliefs and final exam scores was much stronger in the traditionally taught classes than in the MMM class. When separated by gender, only the reported attitudes and beliefs of the females in the traditional class significantly correlated with final exam scores.     

New Perspectives on the Gender Stereotyping of Mathematics

Historically, mathematics has been stereotyped as a male domain, and there is considerable evidence to support this belief. In the last 30 years, mathematics education researchers have uncovered a range of factors contributing to the documented achievement and participation differences that favored males and sought to redress them. Mathematics as a male domain, one of the subscales of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales (1976), has been used widely to assess the extent to which mathematics is stereotyped as a masculine sphere. It has been argued that some of the items comprising the subscale are anachronistic and that the subscale scores can no longer be interpreted reliably. In this article we outline the development of two new instruments-the mathematics as a gendered domain instrument and the who and mathematics instrument-that have been designed to overcome the limitations of the original Fennema-Sherman mathematics as a male domain subscale. We also present findings from the administration of the two instruments in Australia, where they were developed, and in the United States, the site of the trials of the original Fennema-Sherman scales. The results indicate that females feel more strongly than males about some aspects of gender stereotyping in mathematics although, in general, most students feel that mathematics is gender neutral.